60 KIDS ATTEND SPANISH IMMERSION SUMMER CAMPS! – This summer we hosted over 60 students at our Spanish Immersion Camps at the Granite Bay Education Facility. Kids had a ton of fun, making tortillas, learning songs, crafting marachas for an Aztec traditional dance, planting seeds, and competing in Olympic games all en español. We offer Summer Spanish Camps to give kids an opportunity to have fun while practicing their Spanish. Language learning is similar to physical training. If you don’t use it, you lose it! So -vamos a practicar, practicar, practicar… but have fun in the process. Click the photo below to see some photos of the fun kids had this summer:
SOMBRERO TIME KIDS TEACH READING AND WRITING IN SPANISH! – Yes, you read that right! About 15 of our more advanced students became student teachers this summer to help with a literacy project we conducted with the Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD). These kids learned how to teach basic literacy skills in Spanish at breakout sessions during our summer camp. Then they had the unique opportunity to teach K-1 aged native Spanish speakers how to read and write in their own language! These students were attending a RUSD English Language Learner summer school. We grouped Sombrero Time students with 2-3 native speakers to teach for 30 minute sessions on specific reading and writing activities. Everyone benefited from the experience! Sombrero Time students built confidence in their speaking skills and their buddies started learning to read and write in their own native language (something they are no longer taught in school). They also gained a new appreciation for how challenging it can be to teach! Ruth posted a great video as the literacy project ended reviewing some of the highlights. Click the link below:
memory retention in Bilingual individuals. Below is an excerpt from a great article published in the NY Times on “Why Bilinguals Are Smarter”.
